he's in south america. we have pictures of him arriving in brazil. a lot of questions, jim mi miklaszews miklaszewski, about the president's leadership passivity in the face of japan or libya, perhaps in the latter case that's been erased given what he's ordered here. but here he is riding out this initial weekend in brazil? he wasn't even the one to announce the beginning of hostilities. >> it's clear the white house has tried to distance itself of being in the lead of the political and diplomatic surge to send u.s. forces and a coalition into libya. but i can tell you that, in all the discussions with senior u.s. military and pentagon officials, they say that president obama is very engaged and his first inclination appeared to follow the advice of the sec def gates and admiral mullen to stay out. >> bad idea dpor him to be out of the country? >> i think there's a lot to be said for not insulting the entire region with china advancing its economic interests in latin america, but i think they could have found a better way to announce it rather than